Convention 2010

We are leaving soon for Atlanta to join the Foursquare Convention. I wanted to share a few thoughts about convention as I see it. Last year, the Foursquare leadership dubbed convention under a new name, Connection, to give people more of a sense of why they come.

The first few things I think of when preparing to attend a Convention include in no particular order, what the good food is for this city, which of my friends are going to be at convention, and is there a baseball game in town (Convention always starts on Memorial Day). Then I begin getting ready and excited for the coming convention.

To me, Convention is all about connecting with friends and making solid connections for the ministry. The meetings are important and have their place, but many in my generation look forward to this spaced to see friends and share life.

Convention gives the space to reconnect with old friends that you see at the most once-a-year, or sometimes less. The space and time of convention allows for encouragement, refreshing, renewing vision, and building one another up as we deepen the connection we have with one another in our movement. I am looking forward to sharing meals with people I went to Bible College with and new friends we have made since. I look forward to catching a baseball game with some friends as we share stories about ministry in each of our own  contexts. (I’ll add another stadium to my lifelong quest to see all the baseball fields.) I even hope to catch a morning run with some other friends, who bring their running shoes for such a purpose of seeing different cities as we run through them. I will be looking for those running buddies again…I have my shoes and shorts.

Yes, we have business to attend to and that is probably the primary reason to have a convention. This year we need to elect a new president, discuss bi-laws and go over the budget. We need to function in certain ways to stay on track and that is okay. We also will have meetings to and gather together to worship. I pray the Holy Spirit moves in these times and refreshes the body of Foursquare ministers.

Yet, I also pray that the Holy Spirit moves in the times of connecting with one another over meals, coffee, dessert, baseball games, walking the city, praying with one another in the lobby and wherever the good people we serve with in Foursquare connect in Atlanta this year.

Pace and Lifestyle

Pace that is the word that jumps to mind after being back in the US. I know we are a busy people in this country. I remember being busy before and juggling a crazy schedule at times, so why does this strike me as noticeable?

Recently, I was talking with our home pastor, Jeff Hamilton, about discipleship. As we talked, all I could think about was the hectic lifestyle that distracts us from hearing God. In my class, I am taking at Wheaton College, the professor has hammered home the point of slowing down, resting, pausing to allow God to be in the process. One person he quoted said, hurry is not in the devil, but is the devil…as a hurried life can distract us from God.

In Thailand, usually you plan one event in a day. One big thing will take up the entire day, not necessarily in time, but organizational energy. Running to the store might take two hours as you run into people and need to stop and spend time with them, hit major traffic, and other minor things that just take time. That plus your normal work and general lack of energy from the heat fills up a day.

In America, the checklist of activities never runs dry. We have to work hard to keep up with our schedule. We have meetings, lunch appointments (when did lunch become work), club activities (not just kids, with softball or indoor soccer clubs), and the list goes on.

Being busy doesn’t have to be bad, as productivity is not inherently good or bad. We just need to be intentional on how we spend our time and to work for those spaces to be alone with God. I am reminded of an axiom I heard years ago, I am too busy not to pray. We have so many things on our plate or in our life that we need God’s input all the more.

As I took my class last week, I learned many tips for slowing down. I want to take more times to pause, even for a minute or two to stay centered in the presence of God. Sometimes it is just those little windows of space that allow us to refocus on God.

For me and maybe for others in today’s culture we can do things to practice the presence of Jesus.

1. We can take the longer line at the grocery store or bank, and rather than being impatient, spend those extra minutes in prayer.
2. We can eat slower. Eating doesn’t have to be a race, and when we chew our food all the way and slow down, we will digest our food better and not overstuff our  body. We can also enjoy and process life a little better rather than always being hectic.
3. Pray the scripture.  I can pray the scriptures, by taking Psalms or different parts of the Bible that I want to meditate on and pray them as I go throughout my day. This will help my mind to remain on the word of God and settle my soul.
4. Similar to but slightly different than the previous point, I can pray short, succinct prayers over and over again. Throughout the day, I can mutter to myself little prayers such as: God be merciful to me, Holy Spirit, come now; Jesus, you are my friend and, Jesus you are my lord and savior.
5. Turn off the radio or podcast or music. In Thailand, I will often listen to a podcast or something as I walk to the center where we teach and serve. When my Ipod went on the fritz, I found myself many times just praying and meditating on God and his word. I want to be more intentional to do that. It is my constant multitasking that keeps me distracted. I love to walk and listen to something, or walk and call a friend, but I should walk and talk with God.

These are my new intentional ways to be led by the limitless Holy Spirit to times of refreshing and prayer throughout the day. These practices should not take the place of simple devotions and times in God’s word on a daily basis. These are meant to supplement the life we have with God to enrich our knowledge of God and his love for us.

Hugs are so fun

Yesterday, we had the privilege of spending time with one of our Thai friends from Thailand, but in America, at Great America.

One of the university students we work with in Thailand came to the Chicago area on a Work and Travel program. She gets to spend three months working in the US with a little extra time to travel and see some of the country. She has been working at six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, just outside Chicago, for almost three months now. I remember helping her prepare for her interview process, and how nervous she was. Now she is so confident and knows her job and gets around awesome in a new country.

When we arrived to pick her up, she came up to us and gave a hug to Christina and me. This was a pleasant surprise as Thais don’t usually make any physical contact when they greet each other. Instead, the greeting is a “wai,” where you hold both hands to your nose like you are praying. By the way, this is great in preventing the spread of germs, especially in the swine flu scare. I responded by saying, “you have been in America for a while now, haven’t you.” She just smiled.

As Americans, we love to give hugs and receive hugs. To us, this shows a connection, affection, and solidarity with one another. In Thailand, we have to intentionally refrain from going to hug our Thai friends. That would make them feel weird, like why are you touching me. Even a handshake is odd to them, but they like to do it with Americans to show they know our culture. But then I don’t know how to respond, I think why are you doing that to me when I am in your country. Sometimes, I don’t expect it, so I leave them hanging until someone prompts me to shake their hand.

It is the little things we learn to adapt with that takes time and practice in another country, but when we saw our friend yesterday, we appreciated a hug in our country. I’m sure we won’t get that same luxury when we reunite in a couple of months back in Bangkok.

Christianity Part of Religious Rituals in Bangkok

Everyone is still trying to heal from the recent events in Thailand, especially Bangkok. The past week has thrown Bangkok into a mental uneasiness. They are looking for ways to bring unity and good luck. Today, the city government will hold a religious ceremony. When I first saw that, I knew it would be Buddhist. I read the article to see more, and I was surprised to see it included many other religions, including Hindu, Sikh, even Christianity. The Buddhist portion of the ceremony is by far the longest and given the most credence, but Christianity was still included. This is amazing as the Christian witness in Thailand is less than 2 percent. This just shows that God is moving in Thailand and the government is open, or at least tolerant, of Christianity.

Bangkok Cleaning Up

After 10 weeks of protest by the red-shirts, mostly the rural poor, that culminated in violent clashes, arrests and buildings burning, Bangkok is putting the pieces back together. The worst of the present protest has passed, but the beginning of reconciliation has only begun. One can look at the pictures of Bangkok, seeing a shopper’s paradise, the largest mall in Southeast Asia, burned out and tanks roaming through Lumpini Park, a beautiful spot in the heart of the city and see scars marring the urban center of Thailand.

There are similar wounds marring the hearts of the Thai people, largely regarded as kind, generous and averse to violence. The Thai identity has been shaken as they ask the question, how could we do this to our own people? The rift goes deep, and the future uncertain. For now, the wounds are being healed and the tears drying up.

Tonight is the last night of curfew. Businesses are going back to work. The schools will reopen again next week. As we talked with one of our good friends in Thailand, he said things are almost okay. No one really will be okay for a while, but life is returning to normal.

Many of the members of the church where we serve were hanging out together eating lunch yesterday; looking forward to what God will do in this broken country. The unknown leaves a wide open path for the gospel, a story of good news, to be shared with the Thai people. As the Thais recovered from the terrible violence of the past 2 months, we pray that God brings peace and justice to the hearts endives of Thai people.

Continue to pray for Thailand, as this was just a battle in an ongoing struggle for power between the rich urbanites and the poor and oppressed. Don’t let the story fade from your prayers as these precious people work for solutions and stability in their country.

Protests in May

Bangkok went from bad to worse yesterday. The protesters clad in red decided to set fire to the city before being removed from their encampment in the downtown area. At 1:15 pm the red shirt leaders turned themselves in for arrest. A couple of hours later the remaining protesters set fire to buildings in the surrounding areas, like the largest mall in the city (Central World), movie theaters, shopping centers and more. They also went after government buildings in the other major cities in the north and northeast.

When the fires started, the fire trucks could not get to Central World for more than two hours, because snipers prevented their path. I wonder which side the snipers stand with as they have prevented either side from doing anything productive.

Our friends in Thailand are under great anxiety and concern for their country. Uneasiness turned to pure sadness and worry. Everyone who saw the trouble coming crowded the stores gathering water and food for the few days of anarchy. The government enacted curfew last night and again for tonight from 8pm to 6 am. This is a hard curfew, with the US Embassy warning that soldiers have been given permission to shot people on sight.

Many stores have been ransacked and now are closed. 7/11’s, which can be found on every corner of Bangkok, are usually open at all hours but are now only open until 6 pm. The center where our school and church meet has closed temporarily. We get to participate in a tangible way by allowing the girls from the center to stay at our apartment.

Pray, pray and pray again when you think of the sweet people of Thailand stuck between this political battle. As fires rage, arrests take away the leading protesters and chaos unfolds, we seek peace in the midst of turmoil.

Mixed Up Actions

After arriving back in the US, we realize once again how cultures have varying customs. Things are done differently in each culture. We get used to how things are done in Thailand, even when some of them are more difficult than how it is in America. One common example of this is throwing toilet paper in the wastebasket, not in the toilet. After even a short time, you must consciously think about where to toss the TP when you are finished with it. It is these seemingly little things that keep tripping me up and make me double think much of what I have been doing the last few days.

In Thailand, cars drive on the wrong, I mean left, side of the road. People walk on the right side, but drive on the left. I still can’t figure out that oddity. I don’t drive in Thailand as there is no need with all the accessible public transportation. We do ride in cars though, and I have to double think every time I go to climb into a car here. It feels awkward to get in and drive on the left side, or jump into the passenger seat on the right side.

While driving with my sister in the car the other day, we needed to turn right out of a parking lot and onto the street to get on the freeway. I thought for a second and then headed for the signal so that we could turn right and avoid the cars going the other direction. As I turned, my sister questioned what I was doing and asked why I wasn’t going the shortest way by just turning right out of the parking lot. That shook me out of my confusion and I had to laugh that I was driving as if I was in Thailand, except my car was still on the right side of the road.

Another little mix up comes when I go to take a warm shower. We have warm water in our apartment in Bangkok, even though we only need it a few months out of the year. It comes through an instant hot water electrical system. When I go to get ready for a shower here in America, I get everything ready for the shower before undressing and being cold right before the warm water. The problem is that I don’t think about the water needing time to warm up until I am freezing and waiting for it. After a few times of freezing while waiting, I think that I will remember when I go to take a shower that I need to prepare the water also.

I could give many more examples of little things I do, or must think carefully about before doing, as I try to remember all of the little things people do differently here in the United States.

A backwards mix-up: While many things remind me how things are done in the US, some things make me think of Thailand. It is common to see odd combinations of words as Thais are not proficient in English. Today, while in the bathroom, I noticed that the hand soap was labeled, “hand and body shampoo.” Are girls’ hands so hairy that they need to use shampoo to clean them? This type of wording is common in Thailand and made me think I was back there for just a moment.

Furlough

I am trying to articulate the tension between rest and work. As a missionary, we cross into another culture, doing the work of God, to bring the good news of the kingdom of God. After a while, a space comes to the missionary for some rest and refreshment called furlough.

Furlough comes every few years to give us a chance to return home, visit family, rest, give space to what we are doing, gain perspective, and get more training, and a host of things that play into the process. For everyone, furlough plays a different role. Some reject the concept feeling the need to be where they are. They make the new country their home and find rest where they are. They look at the example of William Carey who lived his entire life in India never returning home. Not many can do that, especially today in the world we live in.

Most people have to find the balance between living in two worlds

When we look at scripture to see an example, we see no mandate or formula.  Paul traveled to the major cities and stayed for a varied length of time always moving as God led him and returning home when his travels completed. However, Paul installed some people to stay for a longer period of time and establish a network of pastors and churches, training the people to further the kingdom of God.

We feel we are commissioned by God through the church to spend a season of time working with the church and pastors in another culture to see the kingdom of God expanded. At times, we need to return to our family and church to tell them what God is doing in other parts of the world. We need to refresh our soul and spirit as living in another culture takes another level of energy to process and acclimate. We work in a process of bringing people to know God. There are not quantifiable measurements in Thailand to know where someone is on their journey to faith. The journey to know God in Thailand has an organic feel. It brings to mind the harvest metaphor Jesus uses in John 4:34-38. He talked about some doing the work of planting and others reaping the harvest. We play a role in this process often beginning relationships through friendship from our teaching or outreach on the university campus. We also work with the precious children from a neighboring slum community helping shape their outlook on a positive future. As we step away, our heart yearns to see God complete the work he began in each of the people we touch.

As we prepare for our furlough, we feel a tension between the here and there. We live in two worlds with both feet in Thailand calling this our home, but still a piece of our heart in the United States. We are excited to be back with family and friends. We are excited to get with the churches who partner with us to share the good things that God has done and is doing in Thailand. We want to keep the vision in front of people to keep them praying and aware of God’s mission to see all people’s in all nations come to know him and worship him.

On the other hand, we are always tugged at our heart to say goodbye to our friends in Thailand for a little while. We pray that the work we are doing continues as we step away to keep our life as full as possible. We need to stay strong, so we are giving everything we can and not just working on fumes. Yet, we struggle as anyone would with leaving behind those we have trained to continue the task at hand. Christina trains the teachers and often the mentoring comes in on the job training. Andy helps behind the scenes with the other short term missionaries and church leaders. We both start relationships with a lot of the Thai people knowing some will come to know Christ. We hope that process continues as we travel to America. The more time we spend in Thailand, the more we see the fruit of God’s work. Some of our students we taught for a couple of years have come to know Jesus, but it took time. We never know where someone stands in the process of coming to faith, so it is always hard leaving as we desire to see each person we have grown to love in friendship come to know God. We trust that God will continue what he began. We know his grace covers our mistakes as well as the times we are not in the middle of doing the work.

We are stuck in a tension as we travel both to and from Thailand, always saying hello to someone and saying goodbye to another person we are close to. When we travel to America, we often look for the subtle changes that happen. Just a short time things can change, or we see them from a different perspective. In the coming weeks, we will post a series called observations of America. We will comment on the things that we now see differently than we did three years ago.

Kids Dreaming about the Future

Children who grow up in one of the many slum communities rarely see life outside their community. Their existence comprises of school and helping their parents, maybe watching their younger siblings or making a little money to help the family. Their highest aspirations equal what we consider failure in our eyes. On top of that, Thai people hold a worldview that says you are born into the life you will have. That means, they are stuck with the life they are given and have little to no hope of getting out of their despair, at least not in this life.

One of the keys to the outreach Our Home Chapel gives to the local slum is giving the children life experiences. Not only do they come into the community multiple times in a week, but they take the children to swimming, on campouts, and to ice cream at the ice cream shop. When we took some of the children this summer, many of them had never eaten ice cream at the ice cream shop before.

The children’s outreach at the end of their summer break this year had a couple of purposes. First, they wanted to show the children two university campuses to give them a glimpse of their future potential. As they walked around the famous and popular universities, the student and their partner talked about the future and what their dreams are. It took many of the children a while to say what they wanted to be in the future. Second, they wanted the older teenagers and young adults to connect with them in relationship forming a stronger sense of community within the church as well as start the bridging process as they get ready to join the older group.

The Children’s leaders planned a trip to the National Museum so they could see Thai history. We also visited a human biology museum, so they could see the awe in which God created us. This was a great idea, but it was gross and disgusting to my American tendencies. They had infants who had died from rare diseases/ disorders preserved and displayed in formaldehyde. Pictures are one thing, but to see the dead babies broke my heart and made me want to run from the room (and I’m an adult!).

The children’s leader also wanted to teach the children money management. Each of the children were sponsored by one of the members in the youth group at the church, allowing them to participate in the outing. They were paired up with one of the youth (college students) for the entire trip as they went around in pairs. At the beginning everyone started with a set amount of money that would cover food, transportation, entrance into the museum, and souvenirs. They were empowered to manage their money. At the end of the day, the one who saved the most money won a prize. It was neat to watch the youth and preteen discuss what they could afford or not as they went around during the day. It was forced both of them to plan and spend wisely, which is difficult for the average Thai person. It was a fun outreach that helped get the children excited about the broader church while helping them to think more about the future and what they want.

A Restless Ghost

Taxes and death, two inevitable, looming and inescapable certainties in life cause us a lot of anguish. You might be able to cheat taxes for a time or quite some time, but usually you will get stuck with the bill or leave your family with the bill. You can’t cheat death. Sooner or later, we all succumb to the finality of life. Some worldviews explain this as the spirits coming to take you away, the grim reaper, or a host of other explanations. Thai culture believes that spirits come to get you at the end of your life.

Sometimes, the person is not ready to go peacefully. One of Christina’s students told her a story from her childhood when her uncle had some complications at his funeral.

Her uncle died in a nasty motorcycle accident that killed him immediately. He was around 40 years old. His family came together to mourn their loss and the tragic manner in which he died. The family gathered at his hometown for the funeral and cremation ceremonies.

The first night as everyone tried to sleep, a spirit came through the house pulling blankets off of sleeping family members and disturbing everyone in the house. Maybe the spirit wanted to wake the family up and ask for something, but they didn’t know what was happening. They quickly became frightened, especially the children, one of which vividly retold the story. She remembered this going on for a few nights with no one sleeping well. The family went to the monk to ask what could be happening.

He knew the problem. Their uncle died before he was ready. He didn’t even have time to make things right at home. He wanted to get his belongings. He returned to the house each night trying to get his clothes and personal items. The solution: bring everything that belonged to the deceased uncle and burn it with him in the cremation. After gathering everything that was his and burning it with their uncle, they were never bothered again by that spirit.

Often in traditional religions, people want to understand death, most of all why. Why this man and, at this age at this time? He obviously wasn’t ready to go. Are we ever ready to go?